The first decision to be made is whether you want a synthetic tree or a live fir tree. Price need not be a factor, as both vary from just a few pounds to a few hundred pounds, and both can be reused to reduce the amount of waste produced.

If you don’t enjoy the process of going out and buying a Christmas tree, an imitation one enables you to avoid that hassle for years to come. There’s also great choice, from natural looking ones, to different coloured ones or even fibre optic trees.

The downside, however, is that synthetic trees are non-biodegradable and eventually end up in landfill sites.

Fir trees, on the other hand, benefit the environment throughout their whole life, absorbing COâ‚‚ and supplying oxygen to the atmosphere, stabilising the soil, and providing homes for wildlife. For some people, Christmas wouldn’t be the same without the smell of pine; however, the needles will need picking up.

When choosing a fir tree:

• Buy one that is British grown. This saves environmental pollution from long haul transportation.  The Forestry Commission have centres across the country offering a wide range of quality fir Christmas trees, from the traditional Norway Spruce to a Scots Pine. Find your nearest centre.
• Consider buying a contained or potted tree that can be replanted – for more information, look at our article, Recycling Christmas Trees.
• Check the tree for freshness – avoid those with brittle branches and dull, dry needles. Shake the tree gently and avoid it if lots of needles fall off. Needles should be hard to pull off from the branches and should not break when you bend them. Trees that dry out quickly, will also burn quickly if they get too hot.

Once you've bought your fir tree, you'll want to keep it green:

• Put it in fresh water outside, and then cut half an inch off the stump to open the pores before bringing it into the house.
• Once inside, keep it away from direct heat, and give it plenty of water – it should absorb 4 or 5 litres in the first day, then around a litre a day after that.

The next step is to enjoy your Christmas tree for as long as possible. Take a look at Go Green When Decorating your Christmas Tree and Recycling Christmas Trees for more ideas.